Broomcorn-hurl-shaking machine



Dec. '1, 1925. 1,563,937

T. J. STROEFER BROOM CORN HURL SHAKING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 1, 1925. 1,563,937

T. J. STROEFER v BROOM CORN BURL SHARING MACHINE Filed May 16 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 YIIZ i l,

Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1 PAT N THEODORE J. STROEFER, OF NEW BREMEN, OHIOF BROOMCORN-I-IURL-SHAKING MACHINE.

Application filed May 16, 1922; Serial No. 561,456.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that THEODORE J. Srnonrnn, citizen of the United States, residing at New Bremen, in the county of Auglaize and State of Ohio, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Broomcorn-Hurl- Shaking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for separating different lengths of broom corn.

It is customary in separating broom corn it hurl or straw into different lengths, to do this by hand, the purpose being to separate or segregate the different lengths of straw which are afterwards grouped or classified into lots suitable for different size brooms, or different class brooms, as the exigencies of the case may require. The long straw usually is used for carpet brooms, and the shorter lengths for other brooms, such as whisk brooms, brushes and the like.

i This is a tedious and tiresome operation, and is lacking in uniformlty of results according to the skill of the operators. The primary object therefore of this invention is to provide a machine that will do this work of separation efliciently, quickly, and with uniform results, and with much greater economy than heretofore.

The invention comprises in the main the provision of a machine with means for gripping and tightly holding the bunched broom straw of various lengths, combining mech' anisms which will give to the moving parts such quick and uniform movement that the various lengths of straw will be separated in a few seconds, the longer lengths being retained in the gripping means to be re moved by hand, whereas the shorter lengths will be shaken from the original bunchor batch, and caught in suitable receptacles supported'below the shakers.

Other objects .and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description.

In the drawings illustrating the inven- Fig. 1 is a cross sectionof the machine constructed in accordance with my inven- 'tion,the section being taken just in advance of the shakers and short straw receptacles.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of onevof the shakers, the upper part of the arm being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showlng a systern comprising a weight, cords and pulleys whereby the bucket holder or board may be balanced at the various points belowthe shakers that it is possible or desirable to maintain said board and buckets 'orlreceptaclescarried thereby. 3

- Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of one end of the bucket holder, showing one of the latches employed to lock the board in any one of its adjusted positions below the shakers.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the frame as a whole This is constituted in the main by front legs 2 and rear legs 3, secured together at 'the:botton1 by cross pieces/L and 5, and at the top by similar pieces 6 and 7 The frame may, of

course, be otherwise properly braced so as to form a structure of strength adequate to support the various mechanisms, and of strength commensurate with the work such mechanism has to do. i

Mounted on the cross pieces 6 on the 0pposite sides of the frame are bearings 8zfor the ends of a crank shaft 9. At one end of the shaft a pulley 10 is provided, and

through a clutch 11 the pulley is made fast orloose upon the shaft 'to' giveurotation' 1 "thereto ornot as the occasion mayrequire.

Extending from the clutch downwardly is the clutch rod 12 pivoted in abracket 13 se cured upon a cross bar 14;, the rod'below the pivot terminating in a'suitable grip in handy.

position to be grasped by theoperator to manipulate the clutch. I prefer theuse of a clutch such as shown which may be of any approved construction, but it will .be understood that I do not limit myself to the applying power. to the crank of which is attached to each of the shaker rods at its lower end, and each block carries a comb 23, whlch cooperates with va block 24, one of which is carried by each of four shaker arms 25,'which arms are pivoted v as indicated at 26, one to each shaker rod 15. The blocks 2& are provided with teeth or serrations 27, and these teeth, it will be observed (best from Fig. 3), are above and below the upper and loweredges of the comb 23 so as to enable these parts to get a better and firmer grip upon the straw. For each shaker arm 25 I provide a hand-grip 28 in convenient position to be grasped by the hand oi theoperatorwto release the straw when it is desired to move after each operation, what straw remains between the jaws 22 and 24 carried respectively by the shaker rod and shaker arm. Each shaker rod is provided witha rectangular opening sufficiently wide and long to permit the passage'and necessary free movement of a spiral spring 29 whose front end is connected at 30 to the shaker arm, whereas the rear end of the spring is attached to an eye 31 secured to the cross -bar-21, the spring serving to keep the clamping jaws firmly in gripping and holding contactwith the bunches of straw between-them. There is, of course, a spring for each shaker arm. I

At'each side of the frame and spanning the space between eachset of legs 2 and 3,

and suitably secured thereto are panels 32.

Each panel carries a notch member 33,. and these notches are. adapted to be engaged by the outer ends of rods34 supported and adapted to slide in brackets35 at the underside of the bucket holder orboard 36. The inner ends of these rods 3st are pivoted at 1:37,v to the inner end'of alever 38, pivoted at 39 on the underside of theboard, and the frontend' of the lever terminates in a hand grip tdwhich extends to convenient position tobe graspedby the hand of the operator there being attached to each lever, and

to the underside of the boarch a suitable spiral spring 41, the action of the spring being to keep the ends of the rods 34 :pro-

jected into proper engagement-with one or the other of the notches of the member 33 according to the position of the bucket holder or board below the shakers, this position beingdetermined by the length of the broom straw 'being handled. The bucket holder is'provided at intervals with circular openings 42 for the reception of buckets or other *receptacles 43, and in the present instance 'f four of such buckets are shown, but it will be understood that any suitable number may be employed according to the capacity of the machine desired. l

The numeral 44: designates a cross piece secured to the frame, and to'the underside of this piece I attach foursmall pulleys 45,

-which cooperate with pulleys 46 'and 47 through the means of a system of cords 48 and I9 which are attached to aneye 50 of a weight 51, the lower ends of the cords 48 and 49' being attached respectively to eyes 52 secured to the upper face of the board kinds or classes. In the use of this machine,

the corn is first butted down into the bucket so that no short straw will be at the top. Then the bundle or handfulof the hurl is placed in the jaws of the various shakers as near the top of the straw as possible. The board and buckets carried there by are then so adjusted with relation to the corn "so that the butt or large ends of the straw will be about three or I four inches from the bottom of the bucket. The machme is then started by the proper manipulation of the clutch when the shakers wlnch, as before describedare constituted in the main by the shaker rods and shaker arms, will be caused to move rapidlyup and down over the buckets with a movement resultant v of the reciprocatory movement of the cranks, and the circular or sweeping movement given to the lower part'of the shakers. by

reason of the manner in which the shakers are pivotally or rockably connected with, the piece 21 on the frame. When. byfthis movement the different lengths of straware separated, the part. of the bundle above the grippers is taken in one hand by the oper'a-w I tor, andthe shaker arm 25 with its jaw 24 is raised with the other handreleasing the bundle, the bundle so released having the long straw adapted for. brooms, whereas that separated is adapted forsmaller brushes. Y

I do not desire it to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction shown, and the same may be modified in details without departing from the spirit of the invention.

; Claims:

1. In a machine of the character I described, in combination a suitable frame, a crank shaft journalled in the frame, a shaker connected with the orank portion of the shaft, said shaker comprising a rod having a jaw, said rod having pivoted thereto an arm, a jaw carried by said arm. and cooperating with the first mentioned jaw, whereby a. quantity of straw interposed between the jaws is gripped and held for the purpose set forth, a member pivoted to the shaker arm, and to a fixed portion. of the machine whereby aspaced pivotalconnection is established between said rod and frame.

2. In a machine of scribed, in combination a suitable frame, a crank shaft journalled in said frame, means for rotating said shaft, a plurality of shakers secured to the crank portions of the shaft, said shakers comprising rods having jaws at their lower end, and shaker arms pivoted to said rods and having jaws cooperating with the first mentioned jaws, and a bar pivotally connected with each rod and with the fixed portion of the frame.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a suitable frame, a shaker, means for reciprocating'the shaker, means carried by the shaker for yieldingly gripping and holding a quantity of straws to be separated, a member pivoted to the shaker and to a fixed part of the machine whereby a spaced pivotal connection is established between the shaker and the frame.

4. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a suitable frame, a crank shaft journalled in the frame, a shaker secured to the crank portion of said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a receptacle support below the shaker, means for adjusting said support to and from the lower end of the shaker, and means for maintaining said support in adjusted position.

5. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a suitable frame, a

crank shaft journalled in said frame, means for rotating said shaft, a shaker secured to the crank portion of said shaft and provided at its lower end with jaws adapted to grip and hold a quantity of straw to be separated, a receptacle support located below the shaker, said support comprising a board having openings therein for the reception of suitable receptacles, latches secured to the support cooperating with means carried by the frame, whereby the support is held in adjusted position relative to the shaker.

6. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a suitable frame, a shaft journalled in said frame, means for rotating said shaft, a shaker having connection with said shaft whereby it is given an up and down motion upon the revolution of the shaft, said shaker comprising a shaker rod and a shaker arm pivoted to saidrod, jaws carried by the rod and arm respectively and adapted to grip and hold a quantity of straw to be separated, means pivoted to the shaker rod and to a fixed portion of the machine, a spring secured to a fixed portion of the machine and to the shaker arm and adapted in cooperation with said arm to hold the gripping jaws against the straw.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THEODORE J. STROEFER. 

